Tag Archives: skin care

50th State Stews

I grew up enjoying balmy year-round temperatures in Hawaii. Average highs in the 50th State during the fall range from 80 to 89 degrees. However, despite the tropical setting, locals love stew. Hot stew. I have always loved eating stew, regardless of how high the mercury climbs. In fact, some of my favorite stews are “native” recipes, which feature popular local ingredients, such as curry powder and soy sauce. And while it is not noted on the ingredient’s list, it goes without saying that no one in Hawaii would dare eat a bowl of stew without a piping hot scoop … Continue reading →

Reading Beauty Labels: What is Glycerin?

I’m a reader; always have been, always will be. You put something with words on it in front of me and I’ll end up reading it. I was reading the ingredients on a bottle of lotion (usually I’m looking to see what kind of fragrance it has — natural or synthetic) when I noticed that the second ingredient was glycerin. I’ve you’ve tried making your own soap at home, you may already be familiar with glycerin (or glycerol). It’s popular in soap because it acts as a humectant — it attracts moisture to the skin. Check your labels — glycerin … Continue reading →

Green Celebrities: Jason Scott Lee

This morning at 6:30 a.m., I turned on the television to one of my favorite movies Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. Being a lifelong Bruce Lee fan (well, almost), I love this movie, but I was also impressed by the performance of Jason Scott Lee (no relation to Bruce). I started wondering what happened to him. He was in some high profile films in the early part of the decade, but I never hear about him anymore. After doing a bit of searching, I found that Jason has been living off the grid in Hawaii. A documentary titled Living Pono … Continue reading →

I’m Breaking Up with My Razor

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Dear Razor: It’s not you, it’s me. My needs are changing as I get older, and you’re just not right for me anymore. Love, Aimee. That’s right, I’m back on the market — for a new hair removal technique. I’ve been a razor girl for a long time. My first razor was electric, but I never really felt like I got a close enough shave. When I switched to a disposable (single blade), the difference was amazing and wonderful. Then came the double blades… the triple blades… the quads and quints. I guess my skin is getting more sensitive as … Continue reading →

Sneaky Ways to Remember Your Sunscreen

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Memorial Day has passed here in the States, and that means it’s semi-officially summer! Sure, you can count June 21st as the official start of summer if you like, but the pool’s open so it’s summer to me! (Back home at the Jersey shore, Memorial Day is also the official start of the summer tourist season, so that’s another good reason in my book.) In fact, I’m planning to spend a good chunk of the afternoon lounging by the pool with a book. That means it’s time for my annual nagging about wearing sunscreen! I’ll be the first to admit … Continue reading →

More Fun Spring Festivals for Families

Ready for a spring fling? With the economy in the dumpster most families have a tight grip on their budgets. However, this doesn’t mean you have to skip out on a much-needed spring break. Rather than jet off to an overpriced resort, consider sticking closer to home and visiting one of the dozens of unique spring festivals being offered from coast-to-coast, most of which are free or exceedingly affordable: WASHINGTON Who says you have to fly thousands of miles to view flowering tulips this spring? Instead of jetting off to the Netherlands, consider traveling to Skagit Valley, Washington. Located between … Continue reading →

Hawaiian Officials Angered Over SNL Skit

I don’t know if you caught last week’s “Saturday Night Live” or not. The host was Dwayne Johnson, no doubt due to this weekend’s release of Race to Witch Mountain plus his hosting the upcoming Kid’s Choice Awards on Nickelodeon. I thought the show was great, but there was one skit that didn’t make several Hawaiian officials too happy. The skit involved Johnson (who is of Polynesian descent on his mom’s side) and SNL’s Fred Armisen as lowly paid entertainers in a Hawaiian hotel restaurant. The two danced around the restaurant, doing the hula, wearing grass skirts, and singing. But, … Continue reading →

Your Skin in Your 60s

It entirely possible to have beautiful skin throughout your life! As you move into your sixties, you have to deal with skin issues that started in earlier decades plus new problems that can crop up. Skin issues you may encounter as you move into your sixties: Dryness. Your skin has a hard time retaining moisture and natural oil production slows down. Dullness. Cell turnover continues to slow — a process that started in your forties. Dark spots. Between the lack of oil, the loss of collagen and elastin, and the dryness, dark spots can really start to stand out. Bone … Continue reading →

Your Skin in Your 50s

Once menopause hits, you can expect your skin to change dramatically. The average age at which a woman reaches menopause is fifty-one… so your fifties is a time for big changes! Some changes you can expect in your skin in your fifties: The cell turnover slowdown that started in the forties continues into the next decade and beyond — the dead skin cells are slower to leave and the new cells are slower to replace them. This can leave skin looking dull and feeling dry. Skin is much dryer, thanks to the body’s hormonal changes and continuing cell turnover slowdown. … Continue reading →

Your Skin in Your 40s

Your skin is always changing. Dead skin sheds off and is replaced with new cells — this is pretty much a lifelong process. Around your forties, this cell turnover starts to slow down. There are several major changes in your skin that happen in the forties, including: Slowed cell turnover. This can make your skin look dull — dead skin cells are hanging around longer than they used to. Increased melanin production can cause differences in pigmentation to appear more prominent. Tiny broken capillaries in your skin can cause skin to seem red. Collagen and elastin — the stuff that … Continue reading →